BA Overview

[Olivia]

Overview
Here at TPT, we have a very diverse range of members from across the world. Despite our varied backgrounds, all TPT members have one thing in common: a love of reading. For most of us, reading serves as a hobby, a beloved past time. For a few of our luckier members, though, it serves as a part of their day jobs. Regardless of which category you fall into, it does not change the fact that we all share a love of books.

This year, we have decided to start a new, year-long challenge in which members can work their way through an education by earning degrees: BA, Masters, and PhD. Each participant can choose the level of degree that he/she would like to earn.


Rules

Participants may join the challenge at any time. It is a continually ongoing challenge and does not have any time restraints.

1) Books must be a minimum of 200 pages. Eligibility for this is determined by the most popular edition on Goodreads. Additionally, books must have a description and page count listed in the Goodreads database.

2) ALL books must be completed by 11:59pm EST on December 31st, 2013. Books started before January 1st are not eligible for this challenge.

3) Re-reads and audiobooks are accepted. Audiobook page counts will be determined by the most popular edition on Goodreads.

4) Cover requirements will be determined by the most popular edition on Goodreads. Genre requirements will be determined by genres listed on the main page of a particular book.

5) Instead of tracking your progress in a Member Reading List thread, each participant will have their own thread in the "University of Literature" folder. If you are interested in participating in this challenge, please create a thread with your name in the topic title. Included below are reporting templates and also reporting examples.

Remember to use the "add book/author" feature to link to books when updating your thread.

To create a thread, click here. Click the word "new" in the upper right-hand corner.

6) Each degree consists of a series of tasks that must be completed. To earn a degree, you must read books that fulfill each task. A single book can only fulfill 1 task (unless otherwise specified). Once you have completed all of the tasks for a degree, please send me a PM and I will validate them. You will then be listed in our Graduates thread.

7) Tasks within a degree may be completed in any order. For this challenge, you must complete the degrees in order: BA, Masters, and PhD.

8) Have fun!

Requirements
The BA degree incorporates a wide array of studies, providing students with a well-rounded education.

General Requirements:

Science & Mathematics – Complete 4 of the following tasks:
• Read a book containing a number in the title or subtitle (not related to the number in a series)
• Read a book with a geometric shape (ex: triangle, rectangle, circle) on the cover
• Read a book featuring a character who works in the science or math field
• Read a book in the science fiction (sci-fi) genre
• Read a book that takes place in a hospital, doctor's office, or similar medical building
• Read a book involving the construction of a building/monument
• Read a book with more than 500 pages
• Read an autobiography or biography of a famous scientist or mathmetician

Social Sciences – Complete 4 tasks
• Read a biography of a 19th or 20th century world leader
• Read a book involving a revolution
• Read a dystopian book
• Read a book about a popular, modern-day politician
• Read a book centered around spies
• Read a book that takes place in or talks about an ancient civilization
• Read a book about mummies
• Read a book that involves traveling to a different country

Language – Complete 1 task
• Read 3 books that have been translated into your native language
• Read 2 books by the same author that have been translated into your native language
• Read 1 book in its original language (other than English)

Arts – Complete 1 task
• Read a book in which the plot centers around a piece of art
• Read a book which has a character that plays a musical instrument
• Read a book with a musical instrument or famous piece of artwork (such as the Mona Lisa) on the cover

Every participant must complete all of the tasks listed above. Additionally, participants must choose one of the following majors and complete the task listed beneath that particular major.




Science Majors

Science: Complete ALL of these tasks.
• Read a book about or that takes place during the Scientific Revolution
• Read a book expressing the views of Ptolemy, Galileo, or Copernicus
• Read 2 books in which a character suffers from a physical or mental disability
• Read a book centered around scientific research or observations
• Read a book about a virus/disease
• Read a book which is told from the perspective of an animal
• Read 2 books from the following genres:

 o Science Fiction

 o Non-Fiction

 o Reference

 o Health/Fitness

 o True Crime

 o Travel

Math: Complete 3 of these tasks.
• Read a book featuring numbers or equations on the cover (excluding the number in a series)
• Read a book in the Business or Finance genre
• Read a book with more than 40 chapters
• Read 2 books with an odd page number of pages
• Read a book that weighs more than 1/2 lb.
• Read 2 books that are more than 1 inch thick

Literature Majors

Literature: Complete ALL of these tasks.
• Read 2 of the following classics

 o The Scarlet Letter

 o The Catcher in the Rye

 o The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

 o Dracula

 o Frankenstein

 o A Tale of Two Cities

 o The Phantom of the Opera

 o The Great Gatsby

 o To Kill a Mockingbird

• Reread a book that you read as part of your high school curriculum
• Read 1 of the following Shakespeare plays

 o King Lear

 o Much Ado About Nothing

 o The Taming of the Shrew

 o Twelfth Night

 o Othello

• Read 2 of the following classics written by female authors

 o Little Women

 o Pride and Prejudice

 o Emma

 o Persuasion

 o Jane Eyre

 o Wuthering Heights

 o Sense and Sensibility

• Read 2 books from the following genres

 o Nonfiction

 o Politics

 o Religion/Spirituality

 o Autobiography/Biography

 o Crime/Thriller

• Read 2 books that were published after 2000.
• Read 1 book that was published during 2014.

History: Complete 3 of these tasks.
• Read 2 books in the Historical Fiction genre.
• Read a book that features time travel
• Read a book that takes place during Ancient times (BC-4th century)
• Read a book that takes place during the Medieval Period (5th century-13th century)
• Read a book that takes place during the Renaissance (14th century-16th century)
• Read a book that takes place during the Early Modern Period (17th century-18th century)

History Majors

History: Complete ALL of these tasks.
• Read 2 books in the Historical Fiction genre.
• Read a book that takes place during or talks about World War II.
• Read 2 of the following books

 o The Prince

 o Utopia

 o Between Shades of Gray

 o The Canterbury Tales

 o Praise of Folly

 o Gargantua and Pantagruel

• Read a book with a main character who is/was in the military
• Read 1 of the following famous speeches

 o "I Had a Dream" Martin Luther King, Jr.

 o "Gettysburg Address" Lincoln

 o "American Scholar" Ralph Waldo Emerson

 o "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathan Edwards

• Read a memoir
• Read a book with a dual storyline in which one story is modern-day and the other story was at least 50 years in the past.

Art: Complete 3 of these tasks.
• Read an autobiography/biography of a world-renowned artist
• Read 2 books with covers that are almost entirely orange
• Read a book that takes place in an art museum
• Read 2 books featuring artistic main characters
• Read a book featuring the moon on the cover
• Read 4 picture books (at least 20 pages in length)

Art Majors

Art: Complete ALL of these tasks.
• Read 2 autobiographies/biographies of world-renowned artists
• Read 2 books whose covers are mainly one of the following colors

o Orange

o Yellow

o Pink

• Read a book with multiple different covers (as the book was reprinted throughout the years, the book had different covers)
• Read a book featuring an artistic main character
• Read 2 books that takes place in a famous monument (ex: the Colosseum, Eiffel Tower, Pyramids at Giza, etc.)
• Read a book featuring a landscape on the cover
• Read a book with a main character who enjoys photography

Literature: Complete 3 of these tasks.
• Read 2 books in the "Mythology" genre
• Read 2 books that have won literary awards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_...)
• Read a book that is told from 4 or more different perspectives
• Read 2 Barnes and Noble Classics
• Read 2 books from the following genres

 o Sci-Fi

 o New Adult

 o Steampunk

 o Dystopian

 o Historical Fiction

• Read a book whose author's last name consists of 3 letters.

Keep in mind that all of the tasks are extremely open-ended. For example, if you were interested in a science major, you could read Delirium for "Read a book about a virus/disease." This challenge is designed to help participants expand their horizons and read different genres. Therefore, don't be afraid to pick up books that you would never have previously read - that's the whole point of this challenge!

Any member who successfully completes his/her BA will be awarded 250 TPT Points, which will also count toward his/her team points, in case you needed any extra incentive to give this challenge a go!

The Masters and PhD threads will be posted later this month (hopefully no one will earn their BA in the next several week). If you have any questions, feel free to post them below.

This challenge was adapted from another online challenge.

[Olivia]

Reporting Templates

Degree: BA Science

Science & Mathematics tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Social Sciences tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Language tasks :
1.

Arts tasks :
1.

Science (Major) tasks :
1. Scientific Revolution
2. Ptolemy, Galileo, or Copernicus
3. Disability
4. Scientific Research/Observations
5. Virus/Disease
6. Animal's POV
7. Genres (2)

Math (Minor) tasks :
1.
2.
3.





Degree: BA Literature

Science & Mathematics tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Social Sciences tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Language tasks :
1.

Arts tasks :
1.

Literature (Major) tasks :
1. Classics (2)
2. High School Read
3. Shakespeare Play
4. Classics - Female Authors (2)
5. Genres (2)
6. Published After 2000 (2)
7. Published During 2014

History (Minor) tasks :
1.
2.
3.





Degree: BA History

Science & Mathematics tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Social Sciences tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Language tasks :
1.

Arts tasks :
1.

History (Major) tasks :
1. Historical Fiction Genre (2)
2. World War II
3. Book Selection (2)
4. Military Character
5. Speech
6. Memoir
7. Dual Storyline

Art (Minor) tasks :
1.
2.
3.




Degree: BA Art

Science & Mathematics tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Social Sciences tasks :
1.
2.
3.
4.

Language tasks :
1.

Arts tasks :
1.

Art (Major) tasks :
1. Autobiographies/Biographies (2)
2. Cover Color (2)
3. Multiple Covers
4. Artistic Main Character
5. Famous Monument Setting (2)
6. Landscape on Cover
7. Photography

Literature (Minor) tasks :
1.
2.
3.

[Olivia]

Reporting Example

Degree: BA Science

Science & Mathematics tasks :
1. # in Title: I Am Number Four
2. Science Fiction: Cress
3. 500+ Pages: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
4.

Social Sciences tasks :
1. Biography: Mein Kampf
2.
3.
4.

Language tasks :
1.

Arts tasks :
1. Piece of Art: The Da Vinci Code

Science (Major) tasks :
1. Scientific Revolution:
2. Ptolemy, Galileo, or Copernicus
3. Disability: Wonder
4. Scientific Research/Observations
5. Virus/Disease: Delirium
6. Animal's POV
7. Genres (2)

Math (Minor) tasks :
1. Weighs More than 1/2 lb: The Complete Novels
2.
3.




A few tips to keep in mind when posting a report...

• Please do not post a report in this thread. Instead, create your own personal thread and place it in the "University of Literature" folder. You can then post reports in that thread.

• When posting your first report, please include your major at the top of the post.

• Try to post a report once a month, preferably at the end of the month. On the last day of the month, a moderator will announce and assign Prize Points to the participants who progressed the farthest during that particular month:

 o 1st Place: 150 points

 o 2nd Place: 100 points

 o 3rd Place: 50 points

 o 4th Place: 25 points

Therefore, it would be in your best interest to post a report at the end of each month.

• When posting a report, please use the "add book/author" feature. This is very helpful for the moderators when they go to verify that the books you have read meet the requirements.

• You do not have to complete the tasks in any particular order.

• If you finish all 20 tasks, you will be added to the "Graduates" thread and will be given the option to advance to receive your Masters degree.

[Olivia]

Yes, you are welcome to change your major at any point. Just keep in mind that you will still have to complete all of the tasks specific to your new major.

[Jenea]

Can you please post the requirements again?

[Olivia]

Sure. I'm still waiting to hear back from Goodreads support regarding my deleted posts. However, when they respond, they will hopefully send me a screenshot of my initial post so I can type it up and post it again. It will likely be a few days before I receive the screenshot, so I apologize for the delay.

[Olivia]

Jenea wrote: "Can you please post the requirements again?"

The glitch has been fixed and the requirements have returned at the top of this thread. I apologize for the delay!

[[deleted user]]

I did not complete my requirements last year but would like to continue doing the challenge is that alright?

[Olivia]

Yes, that's fine!

[[deleted user]]

Thank you!

[Olivia]

This challenge was updated 11/7/15.